DATE=6/2/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233189
TITLE=RUSSIA / MIR (L)
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: COSMONAUTS ABOARD RUSSIA'S MIR SPACE STATION HAVE
REPAIRED THEIR MAIN COMPUTER AND ARE PREPARING FOR LINK-UP WITH
THE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY. V-O-A'S MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS FROM
MOSCOW.
TEXT: MIR COMMANDER TALGAT MUSABAYEV SAYS EVERYTHING IS NORMAL
ON THE SPACE STATION AND THE CREW IS BUSY MAKING FINAL
PREPARATIONS FOR THE DOCKING WITH DISCOVERY. HE WAS SPEAKING
WITH GROUND CONTROLLERS AFTER SEVERAL TENSE DAYS OF WORK ON THE
COMPUTER SYSTEM, WHICH FAILED SATURDAY, CAUSING THE SPACE STATION
TO LOSE ITS ORIENTATION.
MISSION CONTROL SPOKESMAN VALERY LYNDIN SAYS THE COMPUTER HAS
BEEN FIXED AND THE SPACE STATION RE-ALIGNED WITH THE SUN. HE
SAYS HE DOES NOT EXPECT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS AHEAD OF
THURSDAY'S LINK-UP WITH THE SHUTTLE.
/// LYNDIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
"FOR THE TIME BEING," HE SAYS, "THE COMPUTER IS FUNCTIONING WELL.
BUT THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMPLICATED AND SOME DIFFICULTIES COULD
ALWAYS ARISE." HE SAYS, "ONE CAN NOT BE 100 PERCENT SURE."
MIR'S MAIN COMPUTER FAILED REPEATEDLY LAST YEAR, BUT WAS
RELATIVELY TOUBLE-FREE UNTIL THE LATEST GLITCH SATURDAY. MR.
LYNDIN SAYS AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING WHAT WENT WRONG.
WHEN THE COMPUTER FAILS, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO ROTATE MIR, TO
KEEP ITS SOLAR PANELS ALIGNED WITH THE SUN. THE CREW IS THEN
FORCED TO CONSERVE ENERGY. BUT OFFICIALS SAY DURING THE LATEST
CRISIS, MIR'S BATTERIES REMAINED FULLY CHARGED.
THE CREW IS CURRENTLY PACKING UP EQUIPMENT WHICH WILL RETURN TO
EARTH ABOARD DISCOVERY. U-S ASTRONAUT ANDREW THOMAS IS ALSO
PREPARING TO LEAVE RUSSIA'S 12-YEAR-OLD ORBITER. (SIGNED)
NEB/MLK/JWH/WTW
02-Jun-98 7:04 AM EDT (1104 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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